Well-drilling apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Mode-1.)

S.A.H0RT0;N. WELL DRILLING;4 APPARATUS.

. Patented-Feb. '18, 1896.

H HillfllA (No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen.

A. HORTON. WELL DRILLING `APPARATUS.` No. 554,820. Patented Peb. 18'

H AA W uw ww Nw ww r 4 .JH l 1I w i f/ .S NIN N f/ ,f/ Nue NN b vl, 7 w w R Nirnn ASTATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN A. HORTON, OF OLARKSVILLE, ASSIGNOR TO THE HORTON DEEP AND ARTESIAN VELL COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

WELL-DRll- LING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,820, dated February 18, 1896.

. Application filed September 7,1894. Serial No. 522,380. (No model.) i

To all whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN A. HoR'roN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Clarksville, in the county of Red River and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful W'ell- Drilling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to well-drilling apparatus for boring Artesian and other wells, and the objects in view are to provide simple, efficient and durable means for expanding or spreading the reamer-blades after the bit-carrying devices have been lowered sufficiently to arrange the reamer-blades below the plane of the lower end of the tubular drill-rod; to provide expanding devices actuated by the pressure of the water admitted to the drillrod for the purpose of freeing` the boringblades from cuttings, such pressure of the water as above being assisted by gravity; to provide means for supporting the sections of cable by which the drill-bit-carrying parts are suspended and lowered into the drill-rod, whereby as successive sections of the drillrod are added similar sections of the supporting-cable, said sections being of equal length with the sections of drill-rod, may be attached; to provide improved means for securing the reamer-blades in the reamer-stock, and to provide an improved expansible packer arranged upon the drill-bit-carrying parts and adapted when expanded to fit snugly in the drill-rod and prevent water admitted to the drill-rod from passing down around the core and deflect it into the bore ofthe core, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a well-drilling apparatus embodying my invention, the core, bit, reamer, and connected- Fig. 2 is a detail view` blades. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a slightlymodified form of means for communicating motion to the reamer-blades from the expansion devices. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing another modilied form of reamer-bladeexpanding devices. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2, to show the channels cr ports whereby water flows from the interior of the core to the outlet-perforations in the drill-bit when the reamer-blades are expanded. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on the line 7 7 of Fig. 3, to show means for mounting the reamer-blades in the reamerstock. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the upper terminal section of the drill-rod, showing the upper section of the supporting-cable and the device for suspending such cable in the drill-rod within reach of the operator during the drilling operation.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a tubular drill-rod formed in detachable sections which are connected at their contiguous extremities by means of couplings 2, the lower section, 3, of the drillrod forming a bit-socket and being constructed with interior ribs 4 for engagement with pockets 5 formed on the surface of the core 6, said pockets being provided bynotches cut in lateral extensions 7 of the exterior ribs 8 and having beveled lower sides, as shown at 9. All of this construction is clearly illustrated and described in my ap plication,Serial No. 507,891, filed April 17, 1894. These cores are hollow or tubular in construction, and attached to the lower extremity thereof and having exterior ribs 10 arranged in alignment with the exterior ribs on the core is a reamer, having a stock 11 and expansible blades 12 arranged in diametrical or transverse alignment. When the parts are in operative position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, said reamerblades are expanded, and their outer ends project beyond the surface of the drill-rod, and beyond the outer surface of a wear-sleeve 13, which is threaded upon the lower extremity of said drill-rod, whereby as the drill is operated said blades enlarge the opening 10o formed by the usual drill-bit to form a hole of sufficient diameter to receive the drill-rod.

These blades 12 are pivotally mounted in a transverse slot 1i extending diametrically through the reamer-stock, and upon opposite sides of the plane of said slot and arranged vertically, as shown in Fig. 6, are ports or channels 15, whereby communication is established between the interior of the core and the socket 1G at the lower end of the reamerstock. Threaded in this socket 1G is the shank 17 of an ordinary iiat-bladed drill-bit 1S, the shank being bored, as shown at 19, and being provided with outlet-perforations 20 communicating with the bore 19, whereby water may pass from the interior of the core, through the channels 1,5, bore 10, and perforations 20, to the space upon opposite sides of the blade of the drill-bit to remove cuttings and carry them upward outside of the drillrod.

Mounted axiallyin the interior of the core is a piston head or plunger 21, tting snugly in the bore of the core, the latter being counterbored or channeled at its lower end, as shown at 22, whereby when the piston-head is in its lowered position, as shown in Fig. 3, water may pass from the interior of the bore to the space below the piston-head to communicate with the channels 15. Attached to the upper side of said piston head or valve 21 is a bar 23, and depending from said piston head or valve and operating in a guideopening 2l in the upper end of the reainerstock ll, is a stem 25, which is connected with the reamer-bladcs whereby a vertical movement of the piston head or valve is conimunicated to the blades, to either expand or fold the same. rlhe connection shown in Fig. 3 is accomplished by means of rack-teeth on the stem meshing with gear-segments on the inner ends of the blades, said inner ends of the blades being rounded concentrieally with their pivots.

The function of the bar 23 is to assist the pressure of water upon the surface of the piston-head in expanding the blades, and in case the blades resist the downward pressure of the water and the bar the latter may be aiteeted to accomplish the expansion by jarring the tubing. A similar connection between the stem of the piston head or valve is shown in Fig. 4f, wherein ilexible ribbons or straps 2li, connected at one end to the stem and at the other end to the rounded extremities of the blades, are employed; and it will be seen that when the piston head or valve is depressed by the admission of water to the interior of the core such motion is communicated through the ribbons or straps to the blades and the operatingextremities of the latter are swung outward.

In Fig. 5 l have shown still another modiiied form of my reamer-blade-expanding devices, the same consisting of a piston head or valve 27 mounted in a bore 2S in the remuer-stock 25), said bore being provided in its walls with grooves or channels 30, whereby when the piston head or valve is in its depressed position water may pass from the interior oi' the bore 2S above the piston head or valve to the bore 19 in the drill-bit shank, and whereby previous to the depression of said piston head or valve such flow of the water around the same is prevented, a stem 31 rising from the center of the piston head or valve into the space or slot 32, in which the reamer-blades 33 are mounted, and liexible ribbons or straps 3l connecting the upper extremity of the stein 31 with the rounded inner ends of the blades, said ribbons or straps and the manner oi' eonnecting the same to the blades being identical with that shown in Fig. 4.

It will be seen that the only diilierenee between the constructions shown in Figs. 4: and 5 is that in Fig. 5 the position of the piston head or valve and its stem is reversed, the piston head or valve proper operatin g in a bore formed in the reamer-stock, whereas in Fig. 4 the piston head or valve operates in the bore of the core. The constructions shown in Figs. 3 and i are preferable to that shown in Fig. 5, for the reason that the latter requires an extended reamer-stock, thus placing the bit at a considerable distance below the reamerblades, whereas the former disposes the bit close to the frame of the reamer-blades.

Although not shown in the drawings, it will be understood that the reamer-stock shown in Fig. 5 is provided with perforations similar to those described in connection with Fig. (5 for conducting water from the interior of the core to the upper end of the bore 2S or the space above the piston head or valve 27.

Frein the above description it will be seen that the blades are mounted to swing through an arc of ninety degrees from a horizontal operative position downwardly to a vertical or folded position in which the blades are wholly concealed within the transverse opening or slot and as the blades fold downwardly they will be turned to their folded positions by contact with the sides of a drillhole when the drilling apparatus is elevated. The inner extremities of the blades are rounded concentric with their pivots in order to remain at their inner ends at the same interval in all positions, this construction being adopted l'or the reason that the stein of the piston is extended between the rounded ends and it is desirable to maintain the stem permanent-l y in engagement with both blades in all positions. The upper end or wall of the slot or opening in the reamer-stock serves as a stop to limit the upward swinging movement of the blades and thus prevent deflection when the apparatus is in use.

The means for mounting the remuer-blades in the slot or opening 14 comprise pivot-pins 35 fitting in horizontal openings 315 formed in the remuer-stock and intersecting said slot or opening 14, one end of the openings 3G being reduced, as shown at 37, and a locking-screw 38 being arranged in the opposite end ol. said opening to prevent the accidental displacement of the pin. The object of the reduced ICO IIO

portion 37 of this opening is to give access for a tool, whereby the pivot-pin may be driven out of the opening 36 after the removal of the locking-screw 38.

Arranged above the upper end of the core is the packer 39, comprising a shell or thimble 40 tted upon an upper reduced extremity 4l of the core and capable of a limited vertical movement thereon. For this purpose said shell or thimble is provided at its lower end with an interior shoulder 42, and a collar 43 is threaded upon the upper extremity of the reduced portion 4l of the core. This shoulder 42 by engagement with the lower edge of the collar 43 limits the upward movement of the shell or thimble, and arranged upon a shoulder 44 provided by the reduction of the upper extremity of the core is a compressible ring 45, preferably constructed of rubber, which in its norm al shape is equal in exterior diameter to the core. This ring being arranged upon the shoulder 44 and around the reduced portion of the core is disposed in the path in the lower end of the shell or thimble 40, wherebya forcible depression of said shell or thimble will cause a horizontal lattening and consequent spreading of the ring, as shown in Fig. l, to cause a snug fitting of the ring in the bore of the drill-rod to prevent water from passing from the space above the packer to the space below the same outside of the core. The reduced portion 4l of the core is provided with a horizontal series of inlet-perforations 46, and the shell or thimble is provided withv a similar horizontal series of perforations 47, which communicate with an annular channel 48, formed in the inner surface of the shell or thimble, and therefore when the shell or thimble is depressed to expand the packer this channel 48 is brought into communication with the perforations 4G and 47, whereby water admitted to the drillrod at its upper end descends to the plane of the packer and then is conveyed through the perforations 46 and 47 into the interior of the core to exert pressure upon the piston head or valve and thereby expand the reamerblades and subsequently to pass through the perforations in the bit to remove cuttings.

Threaded in the upper end of the shell or thimble 60 is a coupling 49, and connected to this coupling and by this coupling to the shell or thimble is the lower member, 50, of the drill-jars 5l. The upper member, 52, of said drill-j ars is connected to the lower end of the auger-stem 53, and to the extremity of the latter is connected the rope-socket 54. It will be seen that the weight of the members above the movable part of the packer will be sufficient to depress said movable part and cause the necessary lateral expansion of the packin g-ring.

Connected to the rope-socket is the lower end of the lower section7 55, of rope, the adjacent ends of the rope-sections being connected by means of bull-rope couplings 56.

The upper section, 57, of the rope is connected by means of a rope-clamp 58 to the lower end of a chain 59, having an eye 60 attached to a holder or seat 6l. This holder or seat is perforated to allow water to pass from a point above the same to the interior of the drillrod, and it is seated upon the upper extremity of the upper terminal drill-rod section. It has been stated that the sections of rope correspond in length, approximately, with the drill-rod sections, and that a rope-section is attached each time a new length of drill-rod is applied, and hence the above-described means for holding the upper end of the rope in position to be grasped by the operator.

The ring or eye 60 forms a convenient handhold, and when it is desired to attach another length of rope the upper end of the rope then in the drill-rod is drawn up, (the slack of said rope being sufficient to provide for raising the upper extremity above the upper end of the terminal section of the drill-rod,) the additional section of rope is attached, the holding devices are connected to the upper end of the new section of rope, and the additional drill-rod section is attached preparatory to lowering into the well.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. The combination with a hollow drill-rod, of a reamer secured to the lower end oi' the drill-rod and having a stock provided with a transverse slot having a closed upper side, ports arranged upon opposite sides of the plane of said slot and communicating at their upper ends with the bore of the drill-rod and at their lower ends with a socket formed in i the lower end of the stock, a perforation being formed in the floor of the slot and communicating with the socket, whereby a portion of the water conveyed through the ports from the bore of the drill-rod to the socket is allowed to pass up through the perforation and escape by way of the transverse slot, pivotal blades arranged in the slot and adapted to fold thereinto or swing outward to project at their extremities beyond the outer surface of the stock, a stem arranged axially in the stock and extending between and permanently connected to both blades, and means for depressing the stem to extend the blades, substantially as specified.

2. A reamer having a stock provided with a transverse opening and pivotal blades mounted to swing through an arc of ninety degrees from a horizontal downwardly to a vertical position within the opening, the blades bein gadapted to be folded by contact with the sides of a drill-hole during the ascent of the drilling apparatus and having their inner ends rounded concentric with their pivots and spaced apart to form an interval between the innei1 ends of opposite blades, in combination with means for imparting downward motion to the inner ends of the blades, said means including a gravity-actuated stem IOO IIO

extending between the rounded ends of the blades and permanently connected to both, substantially as speeilied.

The combination with a drill-rod, a hollow core, having an interlocking connection with the lowermost section of the drill-rod, and drilling devices attached to the lower end of the core, of a shell or thimble mounted to slide upon the reduced upper end of the core and provided with an interior shoulder 42, a collar removably fitted upon the extremity of said reduced portion to limit the upward movement of the shell or thimble by engagement with the shoulder thereof, a compressible packing-ring encircling the reduced pora tion of the core and resting upon a shoulder 44C at the lower extremity of the reduced portion, lateral perforations being provided in the shell or t-himble and reduced portion of the core to register when the shell or thimble is in its depressed position, and elevating or hoisting devices connected to the shell or thimble, substantially as specified.

i. The combination with a drill-rod, a core having` an interlocking connection' with the lowermost section of the drill-rod, and a drillbit, of a reamer having its stock interposed between the drill-bit and the core and provided with lateral slots or openings 14 in which the foldable blades 12 are mounted, said stock being provided with horizontal openings 36 intersecting the slots or openings 14 and reduced at one end as shown at 37, pivot-pins 35 fitted in said openings 30, and lockingscrews 3S arranged in the openings at the opposite ends from the reduced portions, to prevent accidental displacement of the pivotpins, the latter being accessible through the reduced portions of the openings to accomplish their displacement, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of a drill-rod, a core having an interlocking connection with the lowermost section of the drill-rod, drilling devices connected to the lower end of said core, a packing-ring arranged upon the core in contact with a shoulder thereof and adapted to be expanded by weight, a slidable shell or thiinble connected to the core and adapted when depressed to engage and spread the packingfring, drill-jars having their lower member connected to the said shell or thimble, an auger-stem connected to the upper member of the drill-jars, a sectional rope connected to the upper end of the auger-stein, the section of rope being detachably connected, and a holding device connected tothe upper terminal rope-section, the same cen sisting of a perforated holder seated upon the upper extremity of the uppermost drill-rod section, and a chain connected to the upper rope-section, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed my si gnature .in the presence of two witnesses.

S. A. HORTON. Vitnesscs:

JOHN II. Sioonns, G. C. SHOEMAKER. 

